British International School, HCMC, students team up with UNICEF to promote Sustainable Development Goals

20 March 2017

UNICEF has challenged students at British International School, HCMC, to raise awareness of the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) and to work with their local communities to create solutions for these global issues.

Through the guidance of UNICEF, a United Nations programme that defends the rights of children across 190 countries, British International School, HCMC, students will work directly with their communities to raise awareness of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) while researching and designing practical solutions to achieve these goals.

British International School, HCMC, students will focus on two goals:

Goal 2 - End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture
Goal 3 - Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages

The challenge is part of the World’s Largest Lesson, a global initiative aimed at bringing the goals to classrooms across the world through lesson plans, videos, comics and creative content.

Our Global Goals Club at An Phu Secondary has been extrememly busy collating and documenting all of the efforts that are being implemented across all three campuses. All of those efforts represent our whole school commitment to the SDG's.

Including the Events Committee's World Water Week campaign:

World Water Week 2017 at BIS HCMC

The shoestring science project:

Shoestring Community-2485

And the School Council insisting that changes were made to the lunchtime caterering to be more healthy and reduce food waste…

SaladBar2

UNICEF has also invited selected students from our school to present their ideas on the SDGs at an event during the United Nations High Level Political Forum (HLPF) on Sustainable Development taking place from 10 to 19 July 2017 at UN Headquarters in New York City. This is a unique opportunity for British International School, HCMC, students to contribute to the discussion and influence policy at the highest level.

“It is of utmost importance to take into account as we embark on our NAE Global Goals Challenge with UNICEF that the most probable outcome is not that we will actually end world hunger or achieve food security, but that we are teaching our students, the leaders of tomorrow, to have these lofty ambitions to the fore in their lives and constantly aspire to “get there” through dialogue, discussion and action,” said Tim Deye's, Principal of British International School, HCMC.

"It is as Oliver says in her poem, “Sometimes,”

“Instructions for living a life.

Pay attention.

Be astonished.

Tell about it.”

The 17 Sustainable Development Goals were adopted by 193 countries in the UN General Assembly in September 2015. Each goal has specific targets to be achieved by 2030. In order to accomplish these goals, the UN has asked governments, private sector, civil society and citizens to participate.

“If the Sustainable Development Goals do not resonate with children and young people around the world in a way that is meaningful and relevant to their own lives and experiences, they will not be achieved. Students are some of the most passionate activists and agents of change on the planet, and it is their passion and determination that will drive all of us towards a more just, equal and sustainable world by 2030,” said UNICEF. Agenda 2030 Partnerships Manager Shannon O’Shea.

Search #NAEUNICEF on Twitter and Instagram to see how NAE students around the world are taking action in school and their community.

Central Team